smith



(No Model.)

D. L. SMITH.

BUCKLE.

1N8. 378,731. Patented Feb. 28', 1888.

N. PETERS Photu-Lflhnqrlphen Wishingtcn, D. C.

liliTh STATES PATENT Trice.

DWIGHT L. SMITH, OF XVATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO EARLA. SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 3'78,731;dated February28, 1888. Application filed January 3, 1888. Serial No. 259,665. (Nomodel.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, DWIGHT L. SMITH, of W'aterbury, in the county of NewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Im- 5 provement inBuckles; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connectionwith accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon,to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which IOsaid drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-V Figure 1, a front view of the buckle complete; Fig. 2, a rear view ofthe same; Fig. 3, an end view of the same; Fig. 4, a vertical cenr5 tralsection; Fig. 5, the frame and bearingplate detached, looking from thefront; Fig. 6, the hook and lever detached, looking from the rear; Fig.7, a top view.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of buckles forwearingapparel commonly called Suspender-buckles, the buckle beingadapted to engage the suspenderstrap and for the attachment of thebraces; and the invention consists in the construction of the buckle, ashereinafter described, and

particularly recited in the claim.

The frame of the buckle is made from a sin gle piece of wire bent toform the top bar, A, and the two cnds,B B, as seen in Fig. 5. From 0 thelower end of the ends B the wireis turned inward to form pivots C 0parallel to the top bar and in line with each other. The extreme of oneor both of the ends of these pivots is turned downward to form steps aa.

D is the bearing-plate, which is made from sheet metahits two ends benttoward the frame and closed around the respective ends of the frame, asseen in Figs. 8, 4., and 7, so as to firmly secure the bearing-plate tothe frame. 0 The plate extends below the pivots, as seen in Figs. 3 and4.

The lever E is made from sheet metal, constructed with ears I), closedaround the pivots to form a hinge, and so that the lever may 5 swingthereon, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. l, and so that when in theproper position-that is, in substantially the plane of the frame -thelever will strike the stops a, as seen in Fig. 3, and thereby supportthe frame and lever in their closed position or prevent the movement ofeither. beyond that closed position. The upper edge of the lever isturnedtoward the bearingplate D, so as to form an impinging jaw, d, toengage the Suspender or strap against the bearing-plate D, in the usualmanner for this class of lever-buckles.

The hook F is made from a single piece of wire doubled at its center,the two branches G G from the hook extending up, one to the right andthe other to the left, the said branches secured to the lever E by ears6 f, formed on the lever and closed around the respective branches ofthe hook, as seen in Fig. 6, so that the hook becomes a permanent partof the lever E. From the lever adownward projeetion is made to form thespring-tongue H for the hook.

To introduce the strap, the hook and lever are turned out of plane withthe frame, as inv dieated in broken lines, Fig. 4, so that the strap maybe introduced between the bearingplate and the jaw of the lever. Then,when properly adjusted, the lever is returned into the plane of theframe and engagement made upon the strap between the jaw and bearing- 7late. p The bearing-plate may be upon the back of the frame, asintheillustrations alreadyreferred to, or it may be upon the front of theframe, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 3, by simply 8o turning thehook in the opposite direction.

I clai1n-- The combination of the frame made from a single piece of wirebent toform the top bar,

A, two ends, B B, and the pivots C C, and one or more steps, a, thebearing-plate D, made from sheet metal and secured to the two ends ofsaid frame, with the lever E, made from sheet metal, hinged to saidpivots, its upper edge turned toward said bearingplate and so go as toimpinge thereon, and the hook. F, made from wire doubled to form the tipof the hook, and the two branches, extending to the right and left,secured to the said lever E, so as to permanently unite said hook andlever, sub- 5 stantially as described.

DWIGHT L. SMITH, Witnesses:

H. L. SLAUSON, JAMES STO'VELL.

